Shaft or tunnel boring mechanism.



W. F. WITTIOH.

SHAFT 0R TUNNEL BORING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 20, 1907.

- Patented 90$. 27, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

MTIESSES. g M

WJF. WITTIGH.

SHAFT OR TUNNEL BORING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED D30. 20, 1907.

Patented Oct. .27, 1968.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

Uurrn era crisis v WILLIAM F. WITTIOH, OF ERIE,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WATTIGH SUCCESS SHAFT SIN KIN G AND TUNNELLING MAGHIN E COMPANY, SF, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF ARIZONA TERRITORY.

SHAFT GE WEEK. BGRKNG WGHANEEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 12 08.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. Wrcrrrorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft or Tunnel Boring Mechanism; and I do hereloy de- Klare the following to be a full, clear, and

not description of the invention, such will enable others skilled'iu the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to mining apparatus and has for its object the construction of mechanism for boring shafts and tunnels and removing the material in liquid fern-i.

The features of my invention are hereinafter set forth and explained and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical section of a mine shaft showing my device in elevation therein. Fig. 2 is a like view of a mine shaft show- 5 ing a vertical section of my device on the line 2-2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of my device. Fig. 4 is a transverse section. of the same on the line in Fig. 1, looking downward. Fig. 5 is a like section of the same on the line e ;z in Fig. 1', looking downward. Fig. 6 shows my device constructed for use in boring a tunnel. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the cutter cylinders. Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the disks of the cutter cylinders.

In these drawings A, indicates the frame of my device,- which frame I secure in the mine shaft by means of supporting screws .i In the central part of this frame I secure bearings B B (see Fig. 2) in which hearings I mount a hollow shaft C so that it can have rotative and longitudinal movement. In order to rotate the shaft C, I place thereon a gear-wheel D having trunnions d cl mounted in the hearings B B in the frame A. (See F igs. 2 and This gear-wheel D is provided with one or more ribs al in its central. opening, (see F ig. 4), which engage one or more longitudinal grooves c in the shaft C. The power. to rotate the gear wheel D and shaft C is generated by an electric motor E which is geared to the wheel D by a pinion c in the usual manner.

Secured on the lower end of the hollow shaft C so as to be driven thereby are one or more arms F F andF which carry the cutter cylinders G G and G The relative length of these arms is such that the cutter cylinders G and G will in their revolutions contact with the entire surface of the loottom of the mine shaft. The arm F carries a cutting cylinder G mounted on a vertical axle, so that it is adapted to cut out the corner which cannot be cut by the cutter G, and thus keep the wall of the shaft true, and the diameter of the shaft uniform.

The cutting cylinders G, G and G are each composed of a. series of disks 9 {see Fig. 7) loosely mounted ouaxles secured 1n radial positions under the arms F and F as shown. in Figs 1 and :2. so that said cylinders may rotate on their axles as the arms F and F revolve. The disks 9 (see Fig. 8), are

provided with teeth or serrations g which i may be of various forms with equally good results. The cutter is also constructed of a series of disks having serrated edges as in the case of the other cylinders G and G the only difference being that in the cutter G the disks of, which it is composed are gradually of less diameter towards the lower end of the cutter, which enables the cutter G to dress down the side walls and cut out f the corner 9 left by the other cutters.

J During the process of cutting or boring the mine shaft. water is introduced in plentil ful quantity by any means, and from any I source desired. (not slimvn), which reduces the rock powdered up by the cutters to a liquid of greater or consistency, which I is scooped up by the spiral scoop J secured to and revolving with the arms F F and F l and conveyed. by reason of the swift rotation thereof into the opening K leading to the in- 5 side of the hollow shaft C. Within the hollow shaft C I provide preferably a left-hand l conveyer screw and shaft L, (see F ig. 2).

which is revolved at great velocity in a direction opposite to'the direction of revolution of-the shaft C, by means of the motor M and the intermediate bevel gears m and we}. Theshaft L is adapted to move longitudinally through the bevel gear m, and is secured against rotation therein by means of a spline 1' and groove Z (see Fig. 3). The conveyer screw and shaft L raises the liquid delivered into the lower end of the shaft C by the scoop J, to the top C ofthe shaft C whence in nverflows down over the cone shaped walls "0 secured tofand revolving with the shaft 0, and falls to the bottom of the drum N, and is prevented from escaping through the central opening therein around the shaft C, by means of the cone-.

- shaped walls n, from the drum N the liquid escapes through the spout a into a bucket O by which it may be raised out of the shaft.

' In- 0 veration this device is loweredinto a mine s aft and the frame thereof securely fastened-to the side wallsof the shaft by means of the screws A The shaft, C and arms F and cutters secured thereto are then started in rapid revolutions by the motor E and a plentiful supply of water kept constantly runnin into the shaft. As the cutters G G an Gr cut away the rock they will settle down by reason of their, own gravity, until a satisfactory cut has been made, when the motor E is stopped, and the screws P are turned down until they come in contact with the collar Q, on the upper end of the hub of the arms F so as to support the frame A. The su porting screws A are then loosened, and t e'frame A. lowered by means of the screws P until itagain rests on the collar Q, when theAsupporting screws are again turned outward ,and into the walls of the shaft, which operation is repeated un= ail tllie shaft has been bored-to the required ept 1. v I

In Fig. 6 I show a construction ofmy invention adapted for use in boring tunnels on a' horizontal or incline. In this construction the mechanism is substantially the'same as that hereinbefore described, the essential difference being that the frame is shorter ow.- ing to the fact that the elevating mechanism is omitted. In this construction I provide a frame Awhich I secure in the tunnel by means of screws A (as illustrated in Figs. 4 and (i). I .also provide wheels A upon which the frame may be .moved forward or backward in the tunnel as desired.

a In this frame A I mount a hollow shaft 0 which is driven by means ofa motor P and intermediate gears 32 p illustrated in Fig. 6), the shaft 0 sliding'through, and being rotated by said 'gezfrs by reason of the usual spline and groove, as already described 1n relatlon to the shaft-boring machine. In

this construction I provide a crowding or forward, and when the screw R is-rotated backward it contacts with the collar 0* and withdraws the shaft C. U on the inner end 'of the shaft G I- come t e arms F, F and F hereinbefore described.

When this mechanism is used to bore a tunnel having an upward incline the water and powdered material cut-away will run out of the tunnel by its own gravity; but when the bore has a downward incline I provide the hub S of the arms F with a spiral scoop J 2 adapted to scoop liquid from the "lower wall of the tunnel, and, as the shaft C rotates, convey the scoopful of liquid, through the scoop handle into the opening K shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and into the interior of the hollow shaft C whence it is carried by means of the screw C to the discharge end thereof and dumped into a car T.

Havingthus shown and described my in- ,rotation thereon and mounted in said frame,

means to rotate said gear-wheel and shaft,

cutter arms secured to the end of said shaft,

rotative cutters securedto said arms, afconveyer screw within said hollowshaftfand means to convey the material cut-away into the interior of said shaft, substantially as set-forth. i

2. In a shaft boring machine the'combination of a frame, means to secure said frame to the side walls of the shaft, a hollow shaft mounted in said frame so yas to allow of rotative and longitudinal move ment thereof, means to rotate said shaft, arms secured to the end of said shaft, rotative cutters secured to said arms, means attached to said arms to. raisevthe cut-away material and carry the same into the central opening in the shaft, and means within the shaft to convey such material to the discharge end thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a shaft boring machine, of a frame, means to secure said frame to the side walls of the shaft, a, hollow shaft mounted in said frame so as to allow of rotative and longitudinal movement, a gear wheel mounted in said frame and upon said shaft so as to rotate in the frame and rotate said shaft, means to rotate said gear-wheel direction of rotation of said hollow-shaft,

and shaft, armssecured to the end of said substantially as set forth. 10 shaft, rotative cutters secured to said arms, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, 1 a spiral scoop secured to said arms adapted in nresence of two Witnesses. to raise liquid material and convey it into WILLIAM F. VVITTIOH. said shaft, a-conyeyer screw mounted in said Witnesses: hollow-shaft, and means to rotate said con- H., M. STURGEON,

veyer screw ifi'ia direction opposite to the J. C. OSULLIVAN. 

